EXCLUSIVE: Around three-quarters (74%) of respondents agree that having access to back-up care for a child or adult has a positive impact on their productivity at work, according to research by Horizons Workforce Consulting, part of Bright Horizons.

The lasting impact of workplace-sponsored back-up care report, which surveyed 1,150 employees from more than 45 organisations that use Bright Horizons’ Care Advantage programme, also found that 91% of respondents agree that back-up care would be an important consideration when making a decision about changing employers.

The research also found:

87% of respondents believe back-up care positively impacts their ability to be flexible in their work patterns.

79% of respondents agree that back-up care allows them to concentrate on their job to be as productive as possible.

65% of respondents say that access to back-up care has allowed them to work on a day they otherwise would not have been able to.

74% of respondents say back-up care played an important role in their decision to return to work after the birth or adoption of a child.

69% of respondents cite back-up care as an important consideration when joining their current organisation.

70% of respondents feel that access to back-up care has a positive impact on their wellbeing.

Denise Priest (pictured), director of employer partnerships at Bright Horizons, said: “This research confirms what many of us already know; emergency back-up care is not only a key benefit for working parents, it is a vital component of an organisation’s employee proposition.

“It’s a benefit that supports employees across all levels of the workplace, throughout their key life stages. Employers are choosing this practical support to truly demonstrate their understanding and willingness to help their employees balance their personal and professional demands.”